This is a three session online workshop.

This workshop will focus on non-traditional approaches to developing original content for artist’s books. A wide range of research tools will first be demonstrated to jump start ideas for projects. From these research seeds participants will respond to writing prompts and engage in experimental creative writing techniques to grow these ideas into prototypes for artist’s books.

Processes will be taught for getting text onto the pages of simple folded book structures including alternative mark making, transfers, rub-on type, stencils and rubber stamps.

This workshop is for visual artists who want to expand their research and writing skills and for writers who want to explore the artist book as a time-based medium and go beyond their usual practices.

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Materials to Bring: 

• A dozen 3″x 5″ notecards
• Pen or pencil
• 6 to 8 sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ paper or a sketchbook w/ at least 8.5″ x 11″ size pages or larger
• Two 11″ x17″ sheets of paper (can be copy paper)
• Scissors or x-acto knife
• Vintage and contemporary magazines for collage
• Glue stick

Optional:

• Sheet of carbon paper
• Alphabet rubber stamps and ink pad
• Masking tape

Workshop Fee: $150
Tuition assistance is available, apply here.

Date & Time: Wednesdays, June 16, 23 & 30, 2021 :: 4-6pm Pacific time

Location: Online over Zoom

SFCB online workshops are recorded; all registered students will have access to the videos for a limited time.

Please read over the SFCB Registration Policies before signing up for a class.

REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THIS WORKSHOP.

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About the Instructor | Ellen Sheffield

Ellen Sheffield’s works on paper and artist’s books use text and image intersections to create unexpected readings. Her interest in the juxtaposition of visual language: materials; design; mark-making; and printing processes, with written language: essays: poetry; and hybrid writing, continues to motivate art/word collaborations with Lewis Hyde, Fanny Howe, and Andrew Grace among others. Recently Ellen’s work explores themes of race and class in her rural community informed by research of local African-American history by her husband, Ric Sheffield, Kenyon College Professor of Sociology. Ellen’s studio, Unit IV Arts, is located in Gambier, OH, where she teaches in Kenyon’s Art Department. Her artist’s books have been collected by the Beinecke Library, Yale Collection of American Literature at Yale University, by the Ella Strong Denison Library at Scripps College and by many others.

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Past Student Reviews:

“Ellen’s teaching style was wonderful and she gave us so many tools to use in our creative practices.”

“I didn't expect to come out of this workshop with so many ideas. I have been struggling with one particular artist book for many months and I feel like I have several directions that I can take now after this class. It felt like Ellen laid out a banquet of ways to generate ideas for content.”

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have been in this class with this instructor.”